Bio

Matangireia Yates-Francis (Te Arawa, Te Aitanga-a-Māhaki, Rongowhakaata, Ngāti Maniapoto) is an emerging architectural designer whose creativity is deeply rooted in his whakapapa. Born to create, with art and design running through his lineage, Matangireia began his architectural journey at Auckland University of Technology in 2017, completing a Bachelor of Design in Spatial Design before earning his Master of Architecture in 2020. His work draws on both technical expertise and cultural depth, bringing forward design approaches that reflect te ao Māori. Matangireia is committed to shaping spaces that empower communities, honour whakapapa, and connect people to places.

Organisation

Tēnei te aka a Rua e whītiki nei i te hihiri o te mahara, o te hinengaro, e pupū ake ai te manako, kia hua mai ko te wānanga. Ko te wānanga o Rua tēnei e tōtō i te kauwae-runga me te kauwae-raro, o tawhito nuku o tawhito rangi, kia whitikina e te rā. E pūāwai ai tātou ngā akaaka o te whenua, kia tupu, kia rea, kia wao.

Ko te pūtake o ŌRUA, ko te Whānau a Rua. Ko te Whānau a Rua tēnei e korerotia ana mō ngā mahi tohunga ā te Māori. Nā Tangaroa te whānau a Rua. Ko rātou ngā atua o te mātauranga, o te mahara, o te wānanga. Ka noho motuhake a Rua ki roto i ngā āhuatanga o te mātauranga, tuatahi ko tōna whakapapa e tūhono nei ki te tātae hekenga o te whakāro me te wānanga, a kā rua, e hāngai pū ana ki ngā mahi whakairo me ngā mahi whaihanga ano hoki. 

Koia ko te mātauranga o roto mai i te whare o Rua me ōna kura huna, te kaupapa e whakatō nei ki roto i ngā whāinga matua a te Kura o RUA, ŌRUA. Hei whakawhenua i ngā whakāro ki ngā kōrero o ngā tūpuna, hei noho tūrangawaewae ngā kōrero me ngā mahi o ŌRUA ki roto i to tātou ao Māori, motuhake nei.

Imbued in mātauranga Māori, ŌRUA aims to create innovative outcomes and progressive change to inspire and foster Māori excellence through the medium of architecture and design to influence the built environment of Aotearoa. Having experienced the restricted ability to be authentically Māori within the industry, ŌRUA has come together to collectively lead this kaupapa with the hopes that this will open the pathway for more Māori rangatahi to be unapologetically Māori within the field. They offer architectural design and consultancy services while being grounded in mātauranga Māori.

Photo Elicitation